Lever connection



July 29,1941. 0. JOHNSON LEVER CONNECTION Filed May 19, 1939 INVENTOR 61/115453 Join/$0M enreifiul 29, 1941 UNHTED STATES 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a pressing mechanism, and particularly in the connection between the pull rod and the operating lever. The invention is illustrated as applied to and is particularly adapted for use on a shoe press in which the sole of a shoe is pressed thereon while glue or other adhesive material is drying or hardening. In order to press the pressing member against the sole, a rockable lever is used and experience has shown that inefficient operation of the device results where the pull rod is rigidly connected to the rockable lever or connected in a manner in which the pull rod cannot float relatively to the lever. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lever and pull rod connection in which a floating movement of the pull rod longitudinally of the lever may be eifected while the lever is being rocked.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a lever connection of this type of a connecting member so arranged and constructed that it may rock relatively to the lever while at the same time permitting the pull rod, which is connected thereto, to move at the connected end to various positions on the connecting member.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lever and pull rod connection which will be simple in structure, economical of manufacture, durable, easily and quickly installed, easily operated, and highly eflicient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing I have illustrated one adaptation of the invention but it is recognized that various modifications and changes in the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is the intention to include such modifications and changes within the scope of the claims which are made a part hereof. This specification, for the purposes of clarity, is supplemented with drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a machine showing the invention applied,

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing I have indicated the invention applied to a machine embodying a base 8 projecting upwardly from which is a standard 9 supporting a table ID. A last support ll serves to support a last 12 in position beneath a presser element l3 which is attached to the slidable rod l4 projected through the guide sleeve 15 and to which a pull rod i6 connects. This pull rod 16 is provided at its end with a yoke H, the arms of which embrace a connecting member. This connecting member comprises a pair of side plates ll and I8 which are riveted or otherwise suitably secured along one of their ends in embracing relation with the spacing plate 19, the plate I! and 18 being outwardly offset as at 2!] and adapted for being positioned over the rockable lever 21 in embracing relationship, a suitable bolt 22 being projected through the plate I! and I8 and through the lever for pivotally mounting the mechanism on the lever 2|. This connecting member is adapted for rocking on the lever 2| Within certain limits, the spacing plate I9 serving as an abutment for limiting the rocking of the connecting member in either direction.

An elongated arcu-ate slot 23 is formed through the side plates and the spacing member 19 adjacent the upper edge thereof and a bolt or pin 24 is projected through the arms of the yoke l1 and through the slot 23, the arm I! being spaced apart to provide clearance between the inner faces of these arms and the outer faces of the plate I! and i8.

In operation, when it is desired to move the pressing element [3 downwardly toward the last I4, on which the shoe is positioned, the lever 2|, which is rockably mounted at one of its ends on the base 8, would be moved downwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1. In this downward movement, a pull would be exerted on the rod I6. The point of pivot of the connecting member, which is the bolt 22, would travel in an arc and this connecting member would also swing on the bolt 22 as a pivot while, at the same time, the bolt or pin 24 would travel in the slot 23 so that there is thus a floating connection between'the lever and the pull rod. This makes it possible to deliver a very direct pull on the rod [6 and prevents the rod Hi from being swung to any great degree out of alignment with the guide sleeve 16. A binding or cramping of the mechanism is thus avoided and a very efiiciently operated structure provided.

What I claim as new is:

1. In combination, a lever rockably mounted adjacent one of its ends; a connecting member embodying a pair of spaced plates; means for rockably mounting said spaced plates adjacent one of its ends in embracing relation on said lever intermediate its ends; spacing means for spacing said plates apart, said spacing means limiting the rocking movement of said connecting member on said lever beyond a predeter- OF'F' E I1 mined distance, there being an elongated slot formed in said plates and said spacing means and extending longitudinally of said lever; a draw rod; and means slidably projectible through said slot for connecting said draw rod to said connecting member.

2. In combination, a lever rockably mounted adjacent one of its ends; a connecting member embodying a pair of spaced plates; means for rockably mounting said plates adjacent one of their edges on said lever in embracing relation thereto; means adjacent the opposite edge of said plates for spacing said plates apart, there being an elongated arcuate slot formed in said plates adjacent said opposite edge and in said spacing means and extending longitudinally of said lever; a longitudinally movable draw rod; and means movable longitudinally of said slot for connecting one end of said draw rod to said connecting member.

3. In combination, a lever rockably mounted adjacent one of its ends; a connecting member rockably mounted on said lever, intermediate its ends, said member being provided adjacent its free end with an arcuate slot directed longitudinally of said lever; a draw rod extended in a direction crosswise of said lever; and a means slidably projecting through said slot for loosely connecting one end of said draw rod to said connecting member, the point of connection of said connecting member with said lever moving past center relatively to said draw rod upon rocking of said lever a predetermined distance in either direction.

CHARLES JOHNSON. 

